C.D. Gorri - Keeping Magic

Sometimes the truth comes at a cost...

Teenage Witch Angela Tanner is learning to control her powers, but it's not as easy as it looks. Especially when everything points to her being a Fire Witch.

Is her awesome power a gift or a curse? That's something she must find out. At least she's not alone. She has the help of her own personal Guardian, Jody Nieves.

Together, they set out on a journey to discover the truth behind her powers.

Can she learn control in time to save herself?

Sale of this book without a front cover may be unauthorized. If this book is coverless, it may have been reported to the publisher as "unsold or destroyed" and neither the author nor the publisher may have received payment for it.

No part of this book may be adapted, stored, copied, reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

-

Keeping Magic

A Grazi Kelly Universe Novella

The Angela Tanner Files, Book Two

Copyright 2016-2021 C.D. Gorri

ISBN: 978-1-77357-342-7

978-1-77357-343-4

EBTT YA Generations Books

Cover Design by C.D. Gorri, Mystic Worlds Ink Publications & Design

Names, characters and incidents depicted in this book are products of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author.

-

Keeping Magic

The Angela Tanner Files

#2

C.D. Gorri

eBTT YA Generations Books Canada

-

Chapter One

N eedle-like icicles hung from the bare apple and pear trees that made up the small orchard behind our house. Mine and my dads. Some of them were so long they almost reached the ground.

Decorative evergreens lined the back of our property. They appeared to struggle to be free of the heavy weight of the ice and snow that still held their lower limbs captive. Young green needles were starting to peak out from under the dark green patches that were all that was left of the previous years growth.

There was no doubt in my mind that this years wassailing would prove to be more powerful than last. More than half of our Coven showed up this year. Pretty good turn out, actually. The festivities had lasted an entire week. Corny as it might seem, I loved the spells we sang to awaken the trees.

May thy bloom and bud, may your fruit grow plenty

Enough to fill bushels and barrels for many,

Years be they fast or time pass slow,

Bloom, buds burst forth and grow,

Wassail thy trees! Wassail!

Every day the temperature seemed to rise just a little bit higher than the last. I breathed in the scent of winters ending. It came to me in waves of salt, water, wood, and damp earth. A witchs sense of smell was more perceptive than a humans, but not as great as other supernaturals. Still, I inhaled deeply.

A smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. After the intense cold of the past few months the smallest change was most welcome. The ground was squishy beneath my boots. Puddles dotted my backyard as mounds of snow and ice slowly melted during the day only to refreeze again at night.

It was a long, slow process, but I was overjoyed. It seemed as if we were going to experience the usual seasons in my small corner of Northern New Jersey once again. Untainted by dark powers and evil intent.

It was all thanks to Grazi Kelly, of course. My gal, my homie, my BFF. Okay, so I helped a little. But thats what friends do. They help each other. And Grazi just happened to be a very important player in the supernatural war that was constantly being waged between the powers of good and evil. Helping her was in everyones best interest.

Anyway, the effects of dark magic sometimes included extreme weather. When she defeated the Scarred Sisters Coven in the woods in Bethlehem, PA, she stopped that. Okay, we stopped that.

It was still a little unreal to imagine I had anything to do with it. But I did. I had finally come into my talents as a Witch right before the battle. I was a bit of a late bloomer, but I finally had magic!

For the first time ever, I was really psyched for spring. Witches usually were, what with new growth and beginnings. It was a very important time for our Coven, which was primarily agriculturally based.

Personally, I tended to be more technically inclined. Maybe my excitement was because I finally had a magical talent. Maybe it was because I was sick to death of the cold. Or maybe it was because I was just so ridiculously happy.

I mean, how could I not be? It was almost Valentines Day and I could practically feel the grass seeds beneath my feet waiting to push through the mud and make themselves known.

Oh, St. Valentine, I wonder if you ever felt this way. You married followers of Christ in secret and passed along outlawed messages between Christians during Roman times.

Were you ever anxious, excited, and scared all at once?

Balancing my beliefs between Christianity, Wicca, and Asatru was kind of tricky, but sending me to Catholic school had rubbed off on me. Dad had all sorts of reasons for it. Something about the Coven wanting to keep tabs on the goings-ons of the Church.

Witches werent really fans of institutionalized religion, but hey, I enjoyed my many beliefs. I figured no one should have the right to tell me what or how many beliefs I was allowed to have.

At any rate, St. Valentines Day was still few days away, but I always thought of that day as some sort of herald that spring was near. It seemed to me as if the bowels of the Earth were stirring with new life.

Though this was the month of the Snow Moon or the Hunger Moon, I couldnt help but be happy. It was as if I could hear natures young churning and waiting to burst forth all bright and new and lovely.

I dont know. Maybe I was being silly or just overly romantic. I mean, I finally have one . For the first time in my life, I have one .

A Valentine .

My stomach bubbled with excitement when I thought about it. A Valentine of my very own. I inhaled his minty scent and smiled. My mind had a nasty habit of running away with me.

His anima magicae filled my nostrils and brought me back to the present. I became aware once again of where I was and who I was with.

Jody Nieves.

My boyfriend!

Jodys dark eyes were closed as he stood next to me. His long arms were outstretched. His palms were lifted toward the sky.

His head was tilted toward the sky. Long, glossy dark curls spilled behind him. His hair was gorgeous. Thick and shiny enough to make any girl jealous.

There was no moon out tonight. No stars either. He was nearly invisible in his pitch-black pants and leather Guardians coat. I couldnt help but stare at him. He was delicious to look at. Especially when his lips twitched as if he was trying to suppress a grin.